Roswell - Reina del Cid and Toni Lindgren

"Roswell" by Reina del Cid and Toni Lindgren

Toni Lindgren and I were stranded for 10 days in Roswell, NM when our van broke down there (it ended up being a computer module problem, and it's all fixed up now!), so needless to say, we had plenty of free time on our hands to explore the town a bit. That inspired this quirky little tune about the 1947 UFO incident. We didn't see any actual UFOs while we were there, but there was plenty of alien kitsch all over the town which I found delightful. Hope you enjoy "Roswell"! Lyrics below.

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About Reina del Cid:
Reina del Cid is a folk singer songwriter and leader of the eponymous folk rock band based in Los Angeles and Minnesota. Reina del Cid discovers new music, covers classic, americana, folk, traditional folk, and folk rock music, and shares her own original music every week. Her song-a-week video series, Sunday Mornings with Reina del Cid, has amassed a devoted and diverse following made up of everyone from jamheads to college students to white-haired intelligentsia. In 2011 she began collaborating with Toni Lindgren, who is the lead guitarist on all three of Del Cid’s albums, as well as a frequent and much beloved guest on the Sunday Morning videos. The Sunday Morning videos also feature a rotating cast of bandmates, special guests, and occasional random bystanders. Make sure to subscribe and enable all post notifications! For instant updates, check out Reina del Cid’s social media accounts above.

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Roswell lyrics:

Back in '47
in the first week of July
there was lightning in the desert
and explosions in the sky

An unknown flying object
came crashing to the earth
and a cattleman named Brazel
found the wreckage in the dirt

He gathered up some scraps
and then he brought them into town
and the people gazed in wonder
at the marvel he had found

They called the county sheriff
and they called the air force base
they called the DOD
and then they called the CIA

There's big news today out in Roswell
that sleepy New Mexico town
and Major Marcel
what can you tell us about Roswell?

Well the Roswell Army Airfield
sent their finest personnel
a rank and file officer
was young Major Marcel

The major told his story
and it echoed round the globe
a flying saucer captured
out in old New Mexico

But the orders came from Washington
materials were changed
the town was hushed to silence
and Mac Brazel was detained

They scooped up all the evidence
and flew it to Fort Worth
staged a couple photos
and the headlines were reversed

There's nothing to see here in Roswell
just a torn up old weather balloon
and Major Marcel
was mistaken as well about Roswell

The years pass on in Roswell
but the story still persists
rumors turn to theories
and then theories turn to myth

But to his dying day
the major swore on all he had
"There's no way in hell the thing that fell
was made by human hands"

So the mystery lives on out in Roswell
that creepy New Mexico town
and Major Marcel
what couldn't you tell us about Roswell?

#Roswell #Aliens #ReinaDelCid

[robertkehn]

This feels like a lost Johnny Cash classic. I can almost hear him thundering out "There's no way in hell that thing that fell was made by human hands!"

[prbrown]

Everything about this song was perfect. The structure, the changes, the voices, the guitars, the poetry, the message…

[DeniceMarcel]

Oh my gosh - this is kinda surreal.. Major Marcel was my grandfather...I love this :) Great Job!!!

[Dafoodmaster]

100% convinced this will be a folk standard in 75 years

[neilbowers]

I like how every time I come to YouTube it shows me this video. Like it's saying "Go on, watch it again, you know you want to". And it's not wrong.

[dbreardon]

Two very talented women. Van troubles in a Roswell, stuck for 10 up writing, arranging and performing a great, brand new song about the UFO events in Roswell. Amazing

[zymmer]

What a HOOT !!! You two turn lemons into Lemonchelle in a heartbeat !!!

[MrEdarunsun]

Easily the best song about Roswell NM I have ever heard. EVER.

[christianwacker]

That’s true musicianship: Being marooned somewhere and instantly writing a song about it. And it turned so great with the tempo changes and Toni‘s solo. The end gave me a flashback to your space stream concert a while ago. Hope the aliens don‘t keep you for themselves 👽

[neilbowers]

In years to come, Reina will start saying "Back in 2022 ...", and the crowd will cheer, because they know what's coming next.

[hpconley]

This is my favorite song from Elle and Toni, hands down. Toni shreds on the guitar and Elle's tone is immaculate...and the music is fantastic!

[rhimiles]

Man, that surfer guitar tone is otherworldly.

[mjallenuk]

How to bang out a tune ... a masterclass

[northcountrydesign]

This will be your "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" song that tells a great story for years to come. Loved it.

[waynetd]

I love everything about this song, the music, the tempo, the lyrics. But the surprise ending had me literally laughing out loud. Thank both of you for sharing your gifts

[StoicTrader-]

This song will be listened to 50 years from now, calling it.

[RobGale]

Underrated is Reina laying down that bass line on the acoustic. Very nicely done.

[charlesknox]

This is my last comment on this song, I promise. Growing up in Roswell in the 40's and 50's music was owned by such greats as Hank Williams, Gene Autrey, The Sons of the
Pioneers, Tex Ridder, Johnny Cash, and Eddie Arnold. Toni captured that culture with her guitar playing. The lyrics captured the story. It would be wrong for me to say this is your best writing, but it is my favorite of your songs. Roswell is part of who I am and this song captured my heart.

[Timlin]

Watching Toni play is a master class in accompaniment, tone selection and nailing it in one take. Love it... gives me something to reach for.

[noahgomes]

It almost feels like the universe did everything in its power to have you two write and perform this song. The lyrics, the instrumentals, the way the video is perfectly framed; absolutely amazing. Hope you officially release this song soon!